The Value of Doing Research Before Developing Your Marketing Strategy

By Michelle Matura Hentzell

With any business, including health care related businesses, it is important to do some research before developing your marketing strategy to maximize your return-on-investment. Here are some steps to follow:

1. What is the goal of your research? Do you want to increase revenue or do you need to improve your customer service? Or, are you looking to market a new product or service?

2. Find out the buying habits of the customers in your target market. You can find this information through trade publications, marketing magazines, government reports or your local chamber of commerce. There are also companies where you can purchase data.

3. Conduct a survey. You can do a random mail or telephone survey to test your ideas.

4. Learn as much as you can from your current customers. You can do personal interviews, surveys or focus groups about the products or services you provide.

5. Observe…observe…observe. You can learn valuable information by watching the different points of customer contact in your business, including reception, sales or even customer service.

6. Know your best customers. You can find this information but reviewing your sales records. You can then identify your most profitable products or services so you know where to focus your marketing efforts.

7. Develop your marketing strategy. Once you have collected your data, you can build or re-evaluate your marketing strategy with the appropriate focus.